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USA Today Examines Low Popularity Of Vasectomies Compared With Female Sterilization Methods
On Monday, USA Today examined how the popularity of vasectomies remains relatively low compared with other contraceptive methods, despite the procedure"s high level of effectiveness. However, some physicians believe that the current economic recession might be a factor in the recent surge of men seeking the procedure, according to USA Today. Charles Wilson, founder of The Vasectomy Clinic in Seattle, said although it has been a "long-term struggle trying to sell vasectomy," he now performs about 140 vasectomies monthly, compared with the usual 100. Lawrence Ross, a professor of urology at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said vasectomy consultations have about doubled compared with one year ago.Despite the recent uptick, experts say that sterilization surgeries for women remain much more popular than vasectomies. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 50% of women ages 40 to 44 who used birth control in 2002 had undergone sterilization surgery, but fewer than 20% of their male partners had undergone a vasectomy. According to USA Today, physicians cite several reasons for the lower popularity of vasectomies. Compared with women, men generally are less comfortable with medical procedures, particularly procedures involving sexual organs. In addition, myths about side effects of the procedure -- such as reduced testosterone levels and diminished sexual function or desire -- continue to persist.Some men experience feelings of regret post-surgery, but there is a lack of data on the number of men who seek vasectomy reversals, USA Today reports. Wilson said that although the recent increase in vasectomy surgeries might be tied to the economy, the trend probably does not reflect a long-term shift. He said that fears of losing a job and health insurance might play a role in convincing some men to go ahead with a vasectomy but that most of these individuals would eventually have had the procedure anyway (Painter, USA Today, 6/14).
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ATS Medical Announces Participation In The International Society For Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Meeting
ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and services, announced participation in the upcoming International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS) Meeting in San Francisco on June 3-6, 2009. The ISMICS meeting is a significant gathering of cardiovascular surgeons from around the world whose interests include the latest developments in less invasive forms of heart surgery. The annual ISMICS meeting provides an excellent venue for the Company to exhibit its growing portfolio of clinically relevant products designed to meet the needs of cardiac surgeons.
News of the day
New Medicare Nursing Home Guidance To Include Quality Of Life And Environment Requirements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance for nursing home surveyors, further defining and clarifying several important dimensions of care to help improve nursing home residents" quality of life and environment.
Endocrinology

Medtronic's Cardiac Ablation System Represents A Breakthrough Technology Platform

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT - News) announced completion of enrollment in the TTOP-AF (Tailored Treatment of Permanent Atrial Fibrillation) clinical trial. The study is evaluating the use of the latest radiofrequency (RF) ablation technology, the Medtronic Ablation Frontiers Cardiac Ablation System, for the treatment of continuous atrial fibrillation (AF). A leading advancement from currently available RF ablation tools, the system is comprised of a RF generator (or energy ) and three anatomically shaped mapping and ablation catheters that target three areas of the heart for AF treatment. The system is approved for use in Europe and is under investigational use in the United States. "Medtronic plans to be a leader in AF ablation by designing and delivering breakthrough atrial fibrillation therapies to help physicians treat the estimated seven million people worldwide suffering from this disease," said Reggie Groves, vice president and general manager of Medtronic"s AF Solutions division. "Our goal is to provide safe, easy solutions that offer more predictable procedure times than current treatment methods and will allow physicians to customize care and reduce the reoccurrence of AF for their patients." The completion of enrollment follows Medtronic"s recent acquisitions of Ablation Frontiers, LLC, and CryoCath LP, to form Medtronic"s AF Solutions division. When combined with Medtronic"s existing EP Systems product portfolio, AF Solutions plans to offer a complete line of diagnostic, cryoablation (freezing technology) and radiofrequency ablation tools to treat the full range of AF patients. "This unique system will offer physicians a way to tailor their care for treating continuous atrial fibrillation in their patients," said John Hummel, M.D., professor, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. "In this clinical trial, the anatomical design of each catheter allowed me to efficiently map and ablate broad areas in the left atrium. As a result, the simplified process helped me decrease procedure times." About the Medtronic Ablation Frontiers Cardiac Ablation System The Cardiac Ablation System is a minimally invasive catheter and generator system that delivers customized radiofrequency energy designed to eliminate or isolate abnormal electrical impulses in the left atrium (upper left chamber of the heart) that initiate or sustain AF. The three-dimensional, multi-electrode catheters are designed to allow physicians to identify and selectively ablate a broader area of heart tissue without the use of current single point catheters and complex mapping and navigation equipment. The Cardiac Ablation System includes: - Pulmonary Vein Ablation Catheter (PVAC)™ - designed for mapping, ablating and verifying isolation of the pulmonary veins; - Multi-Array Septal Catheter (MASC)™ - designed for mapping and ablating the left atrial septal wall; - Multi-Array Ablation Catheter (MAAC)™ - designed for mapping and ablating the left atrial body; and - GENius Multi-Channel Radiofrequency Generator - the unique RF energy delivery system allows physicians to tailor the location, depth and fill of each ablation lesion. About TTOP-AF This pivotal trial is studying the safety and efficacy of the Cardiac Ablation System in continuous AF patients. Patients were randomized to receive ablation therapy or receive commonly used drug treatments. For every three patients enrolled, approximately two received an ablation and one was randomly assigned to the drug therapy group. The trial allowed patients in the drug therapy group to receive an ablation if they did not respond to drug therapy. Twenty-four centers enrolled 209 patients who will be followed for at least six months after the ablation procedure. Upon trial completion, results will be submitted in consideration for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the Medtronic Ablation Frontiers Cardiac Ablation System. About Atrial Fibrillation Atrial fibrillation (AF or A Fib) is an irregular quivering or rapid heart rhythm in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart. AF is the most common cardiac rhythm condition, found in approximately three million Americans and seven million people worldwide.1 Untreated AF patients have a two to seven times higher risk of stroke.2 Atrial fibrillation causes inefficient pumping of the heart and can lead to other rhythm problems including chronic fatigue and congestive heart failure. Half of AF patients who receive treatment are non-responsive to drug therapy, making them potential candidates for ablation therapy. 1. Millenium Research Report; "Global Markets For Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Devices 2008," March 2008; 1. 2. T. Fetsch, EHJ. 2004;1385-1394. Medtronic


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